“Did he?”I exhaled, relieved to have Marcus this close.“The hardware store beta?”
Marcus shrugged.“I’m sometimes better with names, but I had a fall the other day.”
We walked past the kitchen where Dom was busy warming up some cinnamon buns in the oven and pouring Marcus his tea.
I shrugged.“They should know who you are, and who you’re with.”
“I’m just—look, I’m really grateful you didn’t leave me out there to die, but I can’t really handle any more of…well, whatever this thing is you’re doing.Today, at least.I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.”I stepped onto the soft pillows of the cuddle puddle.“Thanks for letting us know.”
He stood at the edge, right where the floor dipped into the sunken and padded area, and he was tearing up just a little.From his scent, I got confusion, uncertainty, vulnerability.On instinct, I took him by the hips and lifted him down toward me.Rather than standing him up again, I lowered him to the pillows carefully, curled in next to him, and pressed his face against my chest so he wouldn’t feel quite as embarrassed.
“Get some rest, Marcus,” I said, stroking over the side of his head, mindful not to disturb the stitches.
I sensed Dom was waiting just around the corner with the mug of tea.He gave Marcus about two minutes before joining us and handing our mate the cup.Marcus took a few sips, but after he sank back against my chest, he fell asleep in about five minutes.
Dom went to get two of the buns out of the oven and snuck back with them.We shared them with our mate sleeping between us.I decided then and there that we would have to do that at least once a week in the future.
Marcus nuzzled into my chest in his sleep as if he’d read my thoughts, as if he agreed.I dared to hope.
19
The sound of the front door opening and closing woke me.I felt heavy with sleep and disorientation at first, but that lasted only for a moment.I was tucked in between two hot werewolves, having fallen asleep on the sunken floor in the former conservatory, pillowed on Linc’s chest, with Dom’s arm around me and his body blanketing my back.
It was warm, and my skin felt hot, and there was something…like an itch, something I needed, but I wasn’t sure what it was.
I looked up, not sure why, and Ellis was there, evening primrose colors giving him a powdery soft halo.I sucked in a surprised breath of air.The sunset colors made it look as if he were blushing furiously.
“You woke our mate, Ell,” Dom said, his breath tickling my neck.
It gave me goose bumps, and I shivered.I desperately wanted Dom to follow through with a kiss, was about to tell him to, when his lips pressed against the skin of my neck.
Oh, fuck.That was electrifying.Like standing naked in the spring rain or drinking really good tea.I turned my head toward Dom, and the other two started a low growl, Linc’s so intense, I could feel it all the way to my toes.The pillows around us dipped with Ellis’s weight a moment later, and his fingers pressed against my forehead.
“Marcus.”His voice was hoarse, and his fingers didn’t move.I wished they would.
“Tell us what you want, Little Red.”Dom’s baritone was seductive.I could listen to him all day.
Linc’s growl grew in volume and intensity.“Dom.Stop pressuring him.”
Was Dom pressuring me?My cock was taking interest in this entire situation, and I couldn’t blame Dom for that.What exactly was this situation?What did I want it to be?
I’d fantasized about vacation sex.This was not that.Dom was playfully passionate and just cheeky enough to parade me around in front of the entire town.Ellis had sewn my skin back together and played nursemaid.His touch, even now, was deeply comforting.And Linc.I wasn’t sure what to do with Linc, where to place him.I just knew I seemed to be developing a habit of falling asleep on him.
These werewolves, they made me feel so…coveted.Cosseted.In just a few days.I’d said I would give them a chance.That meant I was also allowed to explore, wasn’t I?That’s what chances were, explorations of what was possible.I’d seen that in a dictionary somewhere.I really wanted to explore.A tiny little bit of exploration could mean…whatever I wanted it to mean, and it didn’t automatically equal a relationship.It was like getting a sample of a new type of oolong, basically.
I cleared my throat, and that immediately got everyone’s attention.“How would… I mean, if we, the four of us, were to, erm…fuck.As it were.”
The daylight was fading, and the sunset shadows made the interest that was turned on me from three sets of werewolf eyes even more pronounced.
Dom grinned.Ellis slowly came closer until he could lift my legs into the crook of his arm.Linc sat up and pulled me with him so I could look at him.Up at him.
“Do you want to tell us what you like?Or do you just want to watch, maybe join in when you like what you see?”
My mouth was dry, but my cock was leaking.Linc holding me felt divine, and he smelled good, like someone who’d been moving around all day, traces of some sort of cologne clinging to him.I had a sudden urge to rub my face against his chest, but managed to behave like a normal person who’d just met his werewolf mates, meaning I gaped at him with my mouth hanging open.Holy hotpants.
I knew what I wanted, kind of.There was a buzzing, a heavy feeling centered around my abdomen.Yeah, I knew what I wanted.
